Grading Cubs' 2026 starting rotation after another painfully familiar postseason disappointment

Shota Imanaga led all Chicago Cubs starters with 32 starts and 174 1/3 innings pitching this season. Only one other starter cracked 20 starts (Matthew Boyd, 22) and just one other pitcher eclipsed 130 frames on the year (Colin Rea, 137).

That lays bare the issue that put Craig Counsell's club behind the eight-ball from the start. Chicago lost reigning Rookie of the Year runner-up Cade Horton in his second start of the season and, from then on, injuries defined this team.

Fourteen different pitchers started at least one game for the Cubs in 2026, part of a staggering 40 pitchers who took the mound (including Carson Kelly, who made three appearances) and when your staff seems to have a revolving door, problems often follow. Hats off, though, to the cast of characters who made starts because the overall numbers were better than you might realize.

Cubs starters ranked seventh in the National League in ERA (4.27), fifth in opponent batting average (.244), and fourth in innings pitched (883 1/3) and WHIP (1.25). All that, despite, like I said, having Horton for all of 7 1/3 innings and getting nothing at all from Justin Steele. And let's not forget about the loss of Ben Brown, either, given it looked like he was in the midst of finally breaking out before a neck injury ended his season prematurely.

Grading the Cubs’ starting rotation amidst a sea of injuries

At the trade deadline, to his credit, Jed Hoyer was remarkably aggressive, acquiring both Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes in hopes of delivering some badly-needed stability in the season's final months. While both showed flashes of brilliance in their time with the Cubs, the overall body of work left much to be desired.

Holmes made nine starts, pitching to a 4.25 ERA in his return from the IL and Gausman left even more to be desired with a 4.83 ERA in nine starts, seeming either to dominate or really struggle each time out, with very little else in between. Imanaga was the team's best starter down the stretch, but fans seemed unable to move past his issues with the long-ball that have come to define his time with the Cubs.

This group did as much as anyone could have asked given the major injuries they had to overcome. The biggest knock is no surprise to anyone who's watched the Cubs in recent years. They lacked a true #1 and, come October, that weakness was once again exposed in a painful Wild Card Round sweep at the hands of the San Diego Padres.

Overall grade: C+

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